Founded in 1984, NWIRP is a nationally-recognized legal services organization on the front lines of defending and advancing the rights of immigrants. Each year, NWIRP provides direct legal representation and assistance in immigration matters to thousands of people with low incomes who come from over 150 countries and speak over 60 different languages. NWIRP challenges unjust policies through high-impact lawsuits and advocates for laws and policies that respect the rights of immigrants. NWIRP is also a trusted provider of immigration-related community education for immigrant communities and social service providers. NWIRP has a staff of over 120 and an annual budget of over $15 million. NWIRP serves the community through four offices in Washington State (Granger, Seattle, Tacoma and Wenatchee), but the impact of our work is felt nationwide.

The Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) provides pro bono immigration legal services to immigrants with an income of 125% or less of the federal poverty line. The Social Services Unit receives internal referrals from NWIRP attorneys and legal advocates of clients who require additional social service support. The Social Services Unit provides information and referrals, case management, and post-release planning services to referred clients. The Social Services Unit also maintains a resource directory that is available to the entire organization to allow attorneys and legal advocates to access up to date information about social service providers across the state of Washington. 

As a Social Services Intern, you will work closely with NWIRP’s legal staff across all four NWIRP offices, primarily in the coordination of social services available to NWIRP clients. It is strongly preferred for applicants to be bilingual in English and Spanish. Additional languages are a plus.

-- Provide NWIRP clients with information, coordination, and appropriate referrals to address various needs, including safety planning, housing, translation, protection orders, health services, counseling, education, employment, family law, and public benefits, all while maintaining confidentiality;
-- Maintain an ongoing caseload of clients with exceptional needs, including safety planning and post-release plans as necessary;
-- Collaborate with NWIRP’s legal staff in an interdisciplinary team to assess and meet client needs;
-- Help maintain an internal community resource library for NWIRP legal staff and clients;
-- Perform administrative tasks related to grant reporting such as timekeeping, submitting timesheets, tracking trainings and other duties in a timely manner;
-- Perform other tasks and responsibilities assigned by supervisory staff depending upon NWIRP’s needs.

-- Engage in outreach and community education in the interdisciplinary area of immigrant rights and social work;
-- Conduct outreach with social service providers to develop relationships so NWIRP clients can better access social services from these agencies;
-- Participate in local and statewide task forces and coalitions that address the issues that NWIRP clients frequently encounter, including domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual assault, victims of crime, etc.

-- Engage in training about the U.S. immigration system and its impact on NWIRP’s client population as well as other immigrants in Washington State;
-- Participate in the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network (WAISN) Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Day in Olympia to advocate for immigrant rights and greater access to services for immigrants in Washington State.

NWIRP conducts quarterly wellness activities for staff and interns to promote self-care and team building.

-- Demonstrated commitment to advancing and defending immigrant rights and willingness to support NWIRP’s mission, vision, and values;
-- Experience with multi-line phone systems and call handling in a high-volume environment;
-- Ability to provide client-centered services with a trauma-focused approach;
-- Excellent written and oral communication skills and ability to organize information in a clear and concise manner, including strong problem-solving, research, and analytical skills;
-- Ability to work independently as well as in a diverse team environment;
-- Must be resilient and empathetic with a high level of personal integrity and excellent interpersonal skills when engaging with clients and staff;
-- Must be able to manage multiple tasks efficiently, work well under high-stress situations, and anticipate quickly changing needs;
-- Ability to interface with the impact of secondary trauma;
-- Highly motivated, resourceful, open-minded, flexible, and easily adaptable to change;
-- Proficiency in use of web-based software, Microsoft Office applications, including Word and Excel, and web peer-to-peer communication platforms; Familiar with G-suite tools like Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Gmail.

Strongly preferred for applicants to be bilingual in English and Spanish. Additional languages are a plus.

Send a cover letter and resume to practicum@nwirp.org. Applicants will be reviewed on a rolling basis.